Write down everything you eat this week. People who keep food diaries, according to a study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, lose an average of 6 pounds (2.75 kg) more than people who don't keep a record of everything that they eat.[11] So force yourself to write down the good, the bad and the ugly. Keep these tips in mind:
i guess for some people its not a question of if calorie in calorie out is the only valid route to losing weight, its a matter of how to reduce those damn calories. For some eating mostly protein keeps them fuller and reducing cravings, thereby reducing amount of calories inhaled!!! for others loading up on veggies and avoiding the usual nosh helps reduce the amount eaten. Sometimes its really difficult to depend on willpower to stop us from having that extra loaf!!!!
I truly believe in it’s all about calories in calories out to lose fat , but what’s up with guys like Vince Del Monte saying its not all about calories in calories out and saying hormones is what dictates fat loss. And then there are people claiming spiking your insulin on a calore deficit causes you to not lose fat even though your on a calorie deficit. Explain to me your reasoning on how this information is false on what these people are claiming.
There are so many protein powders on the market, and sometimes it can be hard to decide which one is best for your weight-loss goals. But by swapping out a whey or creatine powder for something plant-based, you could cut down on belly fat. Although whey powder is chock-full of muscle-boosting protein, it can also cause a belly bloat. Instead, try one of the 100+ recipes in Zero Belly Smoothies, made with vegan protein that will still have the same muscle-building, fat-burning, and satiating effects, just without the bloat.
Having support is very important with weight loss. If everyone can get on board, it will be easier to achieve your goals. Talk to your family (or friends, roommates, etc) before starting your diet and let them know your plan. Explain why you are making this decision and ways they can help you succeed. Even if they do not change with you, that's okay! Go forward with your plan! They may decide to join you once they see you succeed with weight loss.
65. Have Water On The Plane – While alcohol, sodas, and juices are tempting, these sugar-filled beverages are full of empty calories. Instead, opt for still water, sparkling water, unsweetened tea, or black coffee on the plane. Staying hydrated can also help decrease your symptoms of jet lag if you’re crossing time zones, so you have more than one good reason to drink water.
Conversely, the more food in front of you, the more you’ll eat—regardless of how hungry you are. So instead of using regular dinner plates that range these days from 10 to 14 inches (making them look empty if they’re not heaped with food), serve your main course on salad plates (about 7 to 9 inches wide). Instead of 16-ounce glasses and oversized coffee mugs, return to the old days of 8-ounce glasses and 6-ounce coffee cups.
In addition, the evidence that dieting improves people’s health is surprisingly poor. Part of the problem is that no one knows how to get more than a small fraction of people to sustain weight loss for years. The few studies that overcame that hurdle are not encouraging. In a 2013 study of obese and overweight people with diabetes, on average the dieters maintained a 6 percent weight loss for over nine years, but the dieters had a similar number of heart attacks, strokes and deaths from heart disease during that time as the control group. Earlier this year, researchers found that intentional weight loss had no effect on mortality in overweight diabetics followed for 19 years.
There’s a reason people are obsessed with apple cider vinegar for weight loss. Some research shows that it may have very modest weight loss benefits. For instance, in one 2009 study, researchers had 144 obese adults drink a placebo or 1 to 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (ACV) daily for 3 months. They found that people who downed 2 tablespoons lost nearly 4 pounds, while those who sipped on 1 tablespoon dropped 2.5 pounds. The placebo drinkers? They actually experienced a small weight gain.
“People used to come into the doctor’s office and say, ‘My metabolism is broken!’” says James Hill, PhD, at the University of Colorado. “We never had any evidence that it actually was, until recently. We were wrong – it was!” While exercise may not be as important for weigh loss as calorie restriction, as Hill says, it’s important in another way: It begins to repair a broken metabolism.
Often times losing weight goes hand in hand with a newfound love, or simply a routine of exercise. Many decide to purchase exercise equipment for their homes, or for when they're traveling so that they don't have to stray from their goals and routine. Dumbbells, benches, cardio machines, mats, and workout DVDs are just a few examples of beneficial, yet costly equipment that will assist with weight loss and weight maintenance goals.
One quick unrelated question – both of my AC joints are garbage (probably too many years of benching “bodybuilder” style). I have had some luck now sticking with dumbbell presses and staying away from the barbell – but overhead presses still kill me no matter what (dumbbell, barbell, Arnolds, etc.). Any thoughts on an alternate? I know I have read on here that you are no stranger to shoulder pain yourself…….

What’s your take on Gary Taubes’ work (if you’ve read it)? He hates the calorie in/out concept but from reading it that’s mainly because it doesn’t address causality (and he doesn’t believe everybody that’s obese/overweight is just lazy/stupid). As I understand it he specifically he says insulin levels regulate how easily fat is stored and available to be burned off and affects how hungry we get. Is that wrong?

Here's a bit of advice that may make a dieter smile, or yawn: Get more sleep. A growing body of evidence suggests that getting insufficient sleep increases the risk of obesity. However, most of these studies have been conducted at a single point in time, which makes it hard to determine whether a small amount of sleep was a cause or an effect of weight gain.
Protein is a fundamental part of a healthy and balanced diet, but when you are in the daily grind, you may not get the proper amounts, especially if your goal is weight loss. Protein not only helps keep you satisfied for longer, it also contains amino acids like leucine, which has been shown in research to aid in maintaining muscle during weight loss. <<<